When most people think about the future of infrastructure, their minds go to roads, bridges, and housing. Few stop to consider the lifts that connect every new floor of every new building. For Michael Kelly, managing director of FAIN Ireland, that overlooked world is where he has spent the past four years driving one of Europe’s most ambitious growth stories.

Key growth market

Kelly, who has more than 25 years of experience in the consumer services industry, is known for his strategic vision and people-focused leadership. Before taking on the challenge of running FAIN’s Irish arm, he had already built a reputation for commercial acumen and for mentoring future leaders. In 2021, when Madrid-based FAIN Ascensores identified Ireland as a key growth market, Kelly was the natural choice to lead the local operation.

Michael Kelly, managing director of FAIN Ireland.

Founded in Madrid in 1972, FAIN is a family-owned business that has grown into a serious European competitor in the lift and vertical-transport sector. Traditionally dominated by multinational giants such as OTIS and Schindler, the industry has long lacked a challenger brand with scale and culture. FAIN is filling that space.

In Ireland, the company began with the acquisition of OTIS Ireland and its subsidiaries in late 2021. A string of further acquisitions followed – Doyle Lift Services, Ormond Lift Services, and Lift Tech – culminating in the landmark purchase of TKE Ireland (formerly TK Elevator) in June 2025. Kelly oversaw their integration, rebranding them as FAIN Ireland.

Today, FAIN Ireland maintains more than 7,000 lift units nationwide, holds about 20% of the market, and is the second-largest operator in the country.

For Michael Kelly, Ireland represents both a challenge and an opportunity. “Every new housing scheme, hotel, or commercial block needs lifts,” he explained. “With Ireland’s urban development accelerating, the lift industry has never been more important.”

The government’s recent announcement of a €112bn infrastructure plan between 2026 and 2030, including €36bn for housing, underscores the scale of that opportunity. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 15,000 new homes were completed, while Dublin requires an additional 1,725 hotel bed spaces per year until 2030. “That level of construction brings both responsibility and growth potential,” said Kelly.

But he stressed that the company’s ambitions extend beyond new installations. “Our biggest focus is on servicing and upgrading the lifts that already exist in buildings across the country. We now have field engineers in every county in Ireland, giving us complete nationwide coverage and the ability to offer 24/7 support. For our customers, that means less downtime, faster response times, and greater peace of mind. For us, it means becoming the biggest service provider in Ireland, not just the fastest-growing installer.”

Differentiate itself through culture

Unlike its multinational rivals, FAIN is determined to differentiate itself through culture. The company’s philosophy is built on three principles: be the best employer, deliver the best customer service, and achieve sustainable growth and profitability.

Kelly has embedded that approach in Ireland. At FAIN’s Tallaght headquarters, he removed private offices, creating an open-plan environment where staff and senior leaders work side by side. Employees and customers alike have direct access to FAIN’s board in Madrid, a rarity in the sector.

“Our motto is ‘no walls, no barriers’,” he said. “That’s not just about office design, it’s about how we operate. We believe in transparency, in accessibility, and in putting people first.”

The results speak for themselves: FAIN Ireland has achieved 98% employee retention and 93% client retention in the past four years.

With a European footprint spanning Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Ireland, FAIN now employs more than 1,500 people and maintains more than 100,000 lifts. The group is targeting €250m in revenues by the end of 2025, underlining its ambition to become Europe’s leading family-owned lift operator.

For Kelly, however, growth is about more than numbers. “We don’t just want to be the biggest,” he said. “We want to be the best – the best employer, the best service provider, and the most trusted name in the industry. Ireland is central to that journey.”

As the cranes continue to rise over Dublin, Cork, Limerick and  Galway, he is determined that FAIN Ireland will be part of every project – quietly ensuring that as the country builds upwards, people can move smoothly, safely, and sustainably.